In the obstetrics and gynecology field, doctors and other medical professionals have to use lubricants while performing exams. Medical gel is a highly viscous substance. The viscosity gives it its lubricating properties.
Although the physicians (and other professionals) wear sterile gloves, they often handle lubricant tubes and the gloves may come in contact with the sterile lubricant container (e.g. a tube). Generally, to avoid the spread of disease by contact with the dispensing container, either the gloves must be changed or a second person, usually the medical assistant, assists with dispensing the lubricant from the tube.
Individual packets are also available. However, this can be very cumbersome. Alternatively, the physician who needs to dispense lubricant during an exam, must remove a glove, open the tube with a single hand, squeeze the lubricant out of the tube, reclose the tube, and put a glove back on the ungloved hand.
A physician may come in contact with numerous patients while using a tube or other lubricant dispensing containers, and may inadvertently contaminate the tube by touching it with gloved or ungloved hands. This creates the potential risk of transmitting diseases such as MRSA, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Group B Strep, or Bacterial Vaginosis to name a few.
Current automatic dispensers known in the art cannot be used with sterile lubricant due to its high viscosity.
Liquid hand soap has a viscosity of less than 150 P. In contrast, lubricant has a viscosity in excess of 150 P and as high 1000 P. The higher viscosity of the lubricant makes it impossible to pump through current automatic dispensers known in the art.
There is an unmet need for an apparatus or system that dispenses lubricant that has a viscosity in excess of 150 P and as high 1000 P
There is a further unmet need to reduce the risk of contact with the sterile lubricant container and spread of disease.